Labours of Love

 

Yesterday morning, after a restless night when I couldn’t stop thoughts rushing around inside my head, I had got up some time before Steve even stirred.

When Steve stepped into the kitchen, I was talking to the cat as I presented her breakfast to stop her noisy belly-aching about how you can’t get the servants these days.

When I stood up and turned to my husband, he said “Well what little scheme did you think up last night”.

 

 

This was because a couple of nights ago, upon waking, had told him that I had been thinking about the garden and in particular, the Geraniums and Pelargoniums.

We have not got a greenhouse. Our garden is too small more’s the pity.

So generally, things do not get protected over winter and sometimes in really harsh weather, some of the plants have their heads cruelly bitten off by frost.

Last winter was quite mild and amazingly everything that I had bought and planted had survived including some big Pelargoniums that we had been given.

During that sleepless night I had thought how lucky we had been not to lose any of the plants at all.

We do have a six-foot wall all around the back garden that gives some protection.

Even so I did think that we had been very lucky and I didn’t want to leave the plants to luck for this winter.

 

My quite annoying idea, had been that I could bring in those Ger’s if I were to sacrifice my cutting out table in the back bedroom upstairs.

I have a big plastic garden table cloth that is hardly used, as a covering to protect the table top.

As well as that useful space, I cleaned out more space on shelves both sides of the table all of which are in front of the window.

Four of the garden pots that I wanted brought in are quite heavy and Steve insisted on bringing those in the house and up the stairs himself saying that they were too heavy for me. On top of that feat of removal work I had done a big sort out around my sewing table which is quite big and was a mess. All neat and tidy now so I can cut -out there if need be.

 

This morning, Steve first words to me were to ask what cunning little plan I had devised overnight this time.

There was on actually but not as big a job as the last one.

I had decided to take cuttings!

These plants do not have a dormant period so this can be done any time.

The part of the plan that Steve offered to do was to bring in the soil that I had mixed that was in the garage in doors and place it in the airing cupboard to warm.

I have the taking of cuttings job lined up for tomorrow.

Pots at the ready. Space selected.

 

This afternoon I finished the computer wrist pad that I had embroidered for Stephen.

It is signed on the back, after a fashion.

In case you wonder what the devil it is supposed to be…

The answer is, my fingerprint.

He is delighted with it.